Unlocking Real Estate Value: How Telescope's €3.7M Seed Funding is Transforming Climate Risk into Strategic Advantage

Navigating Climate Risks in Real Estate

As European regulators increase demands for businesses to evaluate and disclose climate risks, real estate owners are navigating an increasingly complicated landscape. Telescope, a Norwegian proptech startup, is stepping in to help the real estate sector transform sustainability risk from a mere compliance requirement into a strategic advantage.

Major Seed Funding for Expansion

Recently, Telescope announced it has raised €3.7 million in Seed funding to broaden its impact. Co-founder and CEO Gustav Haaland highlighted that while many companies monitor climate risks such as flooding and fire susceptibility, managing these sustainability challenges is often both complex and time-consuming.

"In every conversation I have, real estate owners tell me the same thing – they’re drowning in ESG reports, consultant slide decks, and EU acronyms, yet they’re still asking: ‘What does this actually mean for my buildings?’ We’re not here to add more paperwork. Unlike existing solutions, Telescope turns sustainability from an abstract compliance risk into tangible, financially driven decisions."

Innovative SaaS Platform

Telescope has developed a SaaS platform that allows real estate companies to manage sustainability risks in an efficient and cost-effective manner. By simply entering property addresses, users can onboard their real estate assets, and the platform will gather necessary geographical data to assess physical climate risks.

Addressing Biodiversity Concerns

In addition to monitoring climate risks, the platform also tracks biodiversity. As Haaland noted, biodiversity risk is becoming a critical aspect of sustainability discussions in real estate. The platform can help assess the impact of property development on local ecosystems, which is essential as governments impose strict regulations to protect natural habitats.

"Many real estate firms hold large land banks, but they often lack insight into how much of their land is actually buildable under environmental constraints. Our technology aggregates data on red-listed species, vulnerable habitats, and protected areas."

Evolving with Sustainability Regulations

Telescope’s platform also features energy monitoring and a comprehensive transition plan for moving towards sustainability, which includes targets and steps to mitigate environmental impacts.

"A major challenge is ensuring that collected data leads to action. Traditionally, companies performed high-level assessments without enough detail to drive meaningful change. Our platform increases granularity by using national data providers in addition to broad global data."

Growth and Future Plans

Founded in 2022, Telescope has quickly gained traction, serving some of Norway's largest real estate firms. The company is now expanding to Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands, aiming to attract financiers and investors in the real estate sector. The funding round was led by Scale Capital and Dreamcraft Ventures, with additional participation from Curiosity VC and OBOS Oppstart.

"Their momentum in Norway – closing multiple Tier 1 customers in record time – signals a massive opportunity to redefine how the industry approaches climate risk," says Joachim Schelde from Scale Capital.

Unique Positioning in a Crowded Market

As the market is filled with generic sustainability tools, Telescope distinguishes itself with a focused approach on real estate, enabling property owners to make financially impactful decisions while ensuring compliance with evolving regulations. With fresh capital and proven results, Telescope is set to help property owners across Europe turn climate readiness into a strategic strength.

Lead image: Telescope. Photo: Christoffer Jellum.